X announced that it is organizing a live broadcast shopping event in cooperation with Paris Hilton, as this feature allows platform users to watch a live video, chat with others and shop at the same time, in addition to spending time in the spaces.
“Together, we are exploring new ways to connect with everyone through video, live streaming, live shopping, and even space,” the partnership press release said.
The announcement did not specify when the live event would begin, nor did it provide additional details about what to expect, including products.
It should be noted that this is not the company's first attempt to make shopping a core feature of its platform, as Twitter previously renamed itself Twitter Stores. Additionally, it offers the advantage of allowing retailers to promote future products and send reminders to customers.
Shortly after taking over from Musk, the company announced that it was testing a live streaming shopping platform.
Walmart was the first partner to test this initiative, launching a Twitter Live Deals event in November 2022, allowing users to watch the live stream, purchase featured products, and join the event conversation by tweeting.
Before Musk took over Twitter, which had already built the technology infrastructure for live shopping, CEO Linda Yaccarino said the new partnership would serve the video, live streaming, direct sales and space, laying the foundation for new initiatives.
Live shopping activity has declined since Musk acquired the social network. The team focused on offering paid verification and made other policy changes, including creator-specific changes.
This news comes after X reconsidered its live streaming initiatives and Musk last week tested the platform's capabilities via live streaming from the US-Mexico border. Musk previously tested live streaming games via another account.
Given that Paris Hilton has around 17 million followers via X, it's unclear whether the infrastructure can handle the upcoming live stream.
News of the new deal comes on the heels of statements made by Musk about his plans for the X platform He wants it to go beyond just a microblogging site and instead become a place that caters to creators and allows them to monetize their fans.
The company launched a program to share ad revenue with creators and paid out about $20 million. The company has also reinvested in video, adding support for two-hour videos last spring.
It is still unclear whether consumers want to shop via X or via social media platforms in general, as Meta in October closed the direct shopping feature after stopping the option earlier on Instagram.